Furniture brace and tensioning device



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,189

T. H. WIT'IIILIFF FURNITURE BRACE AND TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Dec. 1925 ATTORNEY Patented Dot. 9, v1928.

THEODORE H. WITTLIFF, F CLEVELAND, GHIO.

FURNITURE BBAGE AND TEN SIGNING DEVICE.

A lication m December 2, 1925. serial m. 72,130.

of furniture and a tensioning device disposed centrally thereof. The tensiomng devlce comprises a screw-threaded central member over which] a pair of stamped metal plates are-engaged with means for moving the same toward and away from each other. A wormgear and operating crank may be provided for rotating the screw-threaded member, or

a wrench or similar implement may be used for such purpose.

The device is adapted for use in connection p with various articles of furniture but is par-' ticularly intended chairs.

- lhe principal object of the invention is to simplify and cheapen the cost of manufacture of-furniture braces for the purpose indicated. Another object of the invention is to provide means which may be ship ed in knock-down form and readily assem led to produce an efficient furniture brace. A further object of the invention is to provide a crank operated worm gear for actuating the tensioning device so that the desired control of the same may be accomplished-from a dista nt point such as a osition adjacent side or end rails of a bed. .Enother object of the invention is to provide a tensioning device formed of stamped metal'plates and standard nuts which co-act to form a satisfactory turnfor use with beds and buckle. @ther objects of the invention wil appear in the course of the following descrip- 4o tron.

-The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain features embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, several of vari- 4e ous mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention ma be used.

In said annexed rawings I therefore particularly point out the following Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a construction embodying the rinciple of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view taken along the line -2-2-shown in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a modified form of construction embodying the principle of my invention; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary viewtaken along the line device and principles 4-4 shown in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the use of a bolt and nut of standard type in place of a turnbuckle member reversely screw-threaded' at either end; Fig. 6

is'a n end view of a modified form of cableengaging plate; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing nut riveted to a cable-engaging plate; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing a nut enga ing turned over edges of a cable-engaging p ate.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing a furniture brace embodying the of my invention is applied to the frame of a wooden bedstead. The corner posts 2 of said bedstead are joined by side rails 3 and end members 4. A hook 5 is laced diagonally through each corner post and flexible members preferably in the form of loops 6 are engaged over said respective hooks at their outer ends, and at their inner ends are engaged over rectan lar plates 7 provided with notches 8 on their longer sides adjacent their ends, of a size suitable' to receive said flexible members.

The ends 9 of the plates may from said posts at a slight angle so as to permit the flexible elements to pull at substantia-lly right angles to their point of attach ment. Each of the plates is provided with'a central aperture 10 which is correspondingly screw-threaded to engage the adjacent ends of the tensioning shaft 11. The means for operating the tensioning shaft is clearly disclosed in Fig. 2 and comprises a worm wheel 12 rigidly secured to' the shaft 13 and having its peripheral teeth engaged with a worm 14 1 carried at the outer end of a telescopic crank shaft 15. The crank shaft is provided with sleeve 16 having a longitudinal slot 17 engaged over a screw 18 which serves as a guide pin and limiting stop. The outer end of the sleeve has a crank handle 19 firmly engaged therewith. The telescopic crank shaft need be only of sufficient length, to be conveniently operable at the side or end of the bedstead, or other article of furniture to which it is applied. The worm is held in engagement with the worm wheel by means of a stirrup plate 50 having upwardly turned ears, suitably apertured to fit over the shaft 15 on either side of the worm. While the frictional engagement of the worm and worm wheel may be adequate to maintain the crank arm in a horizontal position beneath the bedstead, it may be found be bent away' when extended,

I desirable't o hook the outer end of the crank are adapted to seat against the outer faces of plates 23 which are provided with "central L apertures 24 affording adequate clearance and are engaged over the central shaft. A squared central area 25 on theshaft provides for the tensioning of the device by means of a Wrench or similar implement.

' llhe construction of the plates in the modified form of device for engaging the flexible members is more particularly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Each plate comprises a body portion 26 of sheet metal bent rearwardly adjacent each of its ends and having the side edges adjacent said ends notched so as to provide arrowhead terminals 27. A terminal link 28, comprising a length of wire bent U-shaped and having a loop 29 at either end, is connected with the adjacent arrow.- head through the engagement of said loops over the projecting wings of said arrowhead portion of the plate. The links 31 at the pposite ends of the chain are engaged with the hooks 32 inserted diagonally through the end posts of the chair frame.

. than chains may be used,

It is obvious that flexible elements other such as wires, twisted cables and the like, and the term flea ible members, or cables, isto be understood as covering all forms of flexible connectingv members.

In place of the double ended central shaft, a bolt 33 and nut 3st of standard desigmas is shown in Fig. 5, may be used.

en. the form of tensioning device shown in Fig. is used, a wrench is applied either to the nut or bolt head and the other of said ele ments is held against rotation until the proper amount of tension is applied.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the nuts bear with two of their side faces parallel to the ends of the plate against the flattened central portions of the plate. However, when the nuts are turned their corners tend to ride over the inclined rearwardly bent portions of the outer faces of the plates and thus offer a certain degree of opposition to the rotation of the nut having also to a certain extent the function'of a lock nut.

in the form of construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 means is provided forpositively engaging the nut with the adjacent plate. ln the form shown in Fig. 7 the nut 35 is provided with an extension collar 36 which is riveted through an enlarged aperture 87 in the plate 38. -n the form of construction ice shown in Fig. 8 theedges 41 of the plate 42 adjacent the central portion are bent inwardly upon themselves so as to provide a seat 43 equal to the shorter diameter of the nut 44 so that the nut may be locked against rotation when engaged between such overturned edges. Obviouslythe plate and nut may be-readily separated when the tension upon device is relieved.

A plate 45of still another modified form is, shown in Fig.6. It is provided with a pair of hooks 46 on the central longitudinal line thereof. The hooks are formed from extensions of the bodyportion of the plate which is tapered toward'either side and provided with extension ends of uniform width, which are bent inwardly so as to overlie such tapered portion.

When the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is used, the requisite degree of tension is applied to the brace by means of the telescopic crank arm and worm gear. When a device of the construction shown in Fig. 3 is employed the preliminary amount of tension may be appliedby screwing the nuts onto the shaft until light tension is applied to the de vice, and thereafter engaging a wrench with the squared central portion of the shaft to apply a higher degree of tension.

Uther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means he employed.

ll therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A furniture brace comprising securing members attached to an article of furniture, flexible elements having nected to said respective central tensioning device threaded shaft provided with a pair of screwthreaded members moveable relatively to each other, stamped metal plates centrally apertured and engaged over said shaft, and ads ted to be seated against and interen age with said respective screw-threaded mem ers, and integral hooks at the ends of each of said plates for interengaging with the loops of said flexible elements.

2. A furniture brace comprising securing members attached to an article of furniture, flexible elements having terminal loops connected to said respective securing members, a

securing members, a

central tensioning device comprising a screw threaded shaft provided with a pair of screwthreaded members moveable relatively toeach other, stamped metal plates centrally apertured and engaged over said shaft and adapted to be seated against and interengage with said respective screw-threaded members and integral laterally projecting arrowhead ter minals formed adjacent the ends of each of terminal loops concomprising a screw- 3. A furniture brace comprising. securing members attached to an article of furniture,

flexible elements having terminal loops connectednto said respective securing members,- a central tensioning device comprising a screw-threaded shaft provided with avpair of. screw-threaded members-moveable relatively to each other, stamped metalplates centrally apertured to engage over said shaft {and formed with arrowhead terminals for engaging said flexible members, through said terminal loops, a pair of ears on the lateral edges of each of said plates bent downwardly to engage said respective screw-threaded members to prevent rotation thereof independently of said plate, and means forrotating said screwthreaded shaft.

4. A tensioning devicefor furniture braces comprising flexible members, a tensioning member, a central shaft provided with reversely directed screw-threads at its opposite ends and withmeans centrally disposed for rotating said shaft, a air of reversely screwthreaded nuts adapted to be engaged over the respective ends of said shaft, a pair of stamped metal plates centrally apertured to engage over said" shaft, and provided with means to interengage with the adjacent nuts shoulders for engagement with elements and saidtension elements consisting to prevent rotation thereof independently of saidplates, arrowhead terminals formed integrally with eac end-of said plates, and a terminal chain link having its respective ends engaged over the ends of said arrowhead terminals and connected with said flexible members.

5. A furniture bracing device comprising disposed portions to form key shoulders-for engagement 'wlth' ing its opposite end shank end portions,

tension elements, an adjustable couplerimember therefor comprising a coupler shank having its opposite end portions reversely threaded and having an intermediate shou der portion for theengagement of a manipulating tool, nuts threaded to the shank endportions, connector members fitted to the shank inwardly of the nuts, said connector members being formed of stamped metal having a perforated central portion and end portions angularly with relation thereto'and said end having slots at their opposite sides the tension elements and said tension elements consisting of-chain links having opposed loops interlocked in. assembled engagement with said key shoulders Y 6. A furniture bracing device comprising tension elements, an adjustable cou' ler member therefor comprising a coupler s ank havportions reversely. threaded and having an intermediate portion for manipulating the same, nuts threaded to the nector members being formed ofstamped metal havingaperforated central portion and end portions angularly disposed with reof flexible members having ogen terminal portions interlocked in assemble engagement with said key shoulders.

- Signed by me t 28th .day of November,

r THEODORE H. WITTLIFF.

connector members fitted, to the shank inwardly of the nuts," said con 

